Office & Degree
There are four degrees within the RAOB:
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Brother (1st degree) (Kangaroo)
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Certified Primo (2nd degree)
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Knight Order of Merit (Knight Sir) (3rd degree)
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Roll Of Honour (Right Honourable sir) (4th degree)
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In a Minor Lodge, there are 11 Officers:
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Worthy Primo
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City Marshal
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City Secretary
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City Treasurer
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City Chamberlain
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City Tyler
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City Constable
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City Registrar
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City Minstrel
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City Waiter
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Alderman of Benevolence
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HISTORY OF THE ORDER
The RAOB began in the Harp Tavern (opposite the Drury Lane Theatre) by the artist Joseph Lisle and comedian William Sinnett along with other stage hands and theatre technicians in August 1822. It drew its then name of The Buffaloes from a popular song of the time "We’ll chase the Buffalo?". This first meeting is historically the 'Phoenix Lodge No.1'. As members toured the country with various shows lodges were opened in other towns.
During the 19th Century the Order spread throughout the British Commonwealth and Lodges now exist in Britain, Northern Ireland, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Middle East, India, Africa, Gibraltar and Cyprus.
As the Order spread through the United Kingdom, when a lodge opened in a new area, it became the Mother Lodge, from which subsequent Minor Lodges would be opened. This Mother Lodge would support and advise new lodges on rules and administration of membership. These Mother Lodges developed into the body responsible for administration and organisation and as the Order grew District Grand Lodges and later Provincial Grand Lodges were opened.
In April 1866 a Grand Lodge (later known as the Grand Lodge of England) was formed to control the Order, to set laws, to establish procedures and manage administration. Divisions within the Order led break-ups and the Grand Lodge of England fractured into smaller 'Banners' between which there was often rivalry. One Banner became the Grand Lodge of England Ltd, wrongly believing that by forming as a company they could gain exclusive usage of the name. The 'Grand Surrey Banner' proclaimed itself Mother Lodge of the World. Dozens of Banners were created around London and many more in elsewhere.The order has a Rule Book, Manual of Instruction and Ceremony Lectures issued and revised by the Grand Lodge of England based at Harrogate in England.
The Order currently has a three-tiered system of Minor (Private) Lodges, Provincial Grand Lodges (Local Governing Body) and Grand Lodge. Each Province may also have a Knights Chapter and Roll of Honour (ROH) Assembly, the minimum entry requirement being that the member has attained the appropriate degree to be admitted.
Charitable funds exist at Lodge, Province and Grand Lodge levels to assist members of the Order and/or their dependents requiring assistance.
The Grand Lodge owns and operates two convalescent homes to provide rest and recuperation facilities for members, their wives or widows recovering from illness or medical treatment.
